B+R Hand Soaps

Posted on November 11, 2014 by brent

Every now and then I like to share ideas that cross my mind regarding new services or products. Now the last time I went out on a limb and did this I thoroughly embarrassed myself as I pitched an idea that was already implemented in varying forms in several supermarkets. But after a thorough Google search this evening, I believe I have a true original idea for an exciting line of products. Let me present to you my latest scam…uh…I mean…idea.

With crazy new flavors for everything from potato chips to soft drinks hitting the shelves, I want to take this idea to a non-edible product. It is with great excitement that I introduce Bizzare+Random Hand Soaps. Made to look like my initials (the “+” is to serve as the word “and” but look like the letter “t”) , B+R Hand Soaps is an innovative concept not yet out in the market. I would package the most intriguing, outrageous, and good smelling soaps that have ever made contact with human hands.

We use liquid/hand soap everywhere. We have several bottles in our homes stationed everywhere from the kitchen sink to the bathroom. Unless they utilize that disgusting powdered soap, every single business stocks their restrooms with hand soap. Whether used in automatic dispensers, nice porcelain containers, or the plastic bottles themselves, the stuff is used in every restaurant, stadium, locker room, etc. So I have to ask, if this type of soap is so prevalent, why are the scents so boring? If you go to a store you will have a selection of about ten different options. Cucumber melon, lavender, coconut, cherry blossom, gold flavor, and tropical/Hawaiian scents dominate your choices. I am so sick of these uninspired choices.

I have an amazing idea that will transform the hand soap industry. Say goodbye to boring scents such as lavender.

At B&R Hand Soaps, we would offer absolutely wild flavors. I am talking cookie dough. Or I am talking macaroni cheese. Or how about hot fudge sundae? Can I get a YES PLEASE for a buttered popcorn hand soap? Or, to take another Jelly Belly classic flavor, how about a Dr. Pepper version!? But we wouldn’t stop there. How would you like to wash your hands with Butterfinger soap? What if we introduced a spaghetti and meatballs scent? Or what about an Oreo cookie mixture?

We would never have to worry about kids (and adults) not washing their hands again. People would make excuses to go lather up. Hands would become incredibly clean because people would rinse their hands several times just so they could apply more soap. Moods would improve because when you have a scent lingering on you throughout the day such as cookie dough or buttered popcorn, how can you not be happy?

I would sell a long line of different scents to mass retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target. But then I would also sell exclusive flavors to big time restaurants, marketing it as the best branding decision you could ever make. Could you imagine if B+R Hand Soaps developed an Asian Zing or Jammin Jalapeno soap for Buffalo Wild Wings? The specialty soap would be woven into the fabric of BWW. People would be fascinated with it and make trips to the restaurant not just to eat but to also use the restroom. Or what if B+R Hand Soaps made a lemon cheesecake soap for the Cheesecake Factory?! Oh man, talk about a slam dunk! What if we reached out to the Seattle Seahawks and created a Skittles soap to be used exclusively inside CenturyLink Field in honor of Marshawn Lynch? Can you tell that I am just a little excited about this?!

Ladies and gentlemen, B+R Hand Soaps! This would turn the industry completely upside-down. It would promote hand washing and instill identity both in individuals and companies. Time to turn the floor over to you. What do you think? Would you invest? Would you purchase the soap? Let me know what you think and also throw out any scent ideas you have. Excuse me while I go wash my hands. Don’t Blink.

Coastal Football Earns #1 Ranking

Posted on November 10, 2014 by brent

Today a very exciting milestone occurred at the university I work at. In the early afternoon, the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches Poll came out and revealed that the Coastal Carolina University football program had been voted the #1 team in the nation. Not only was this the first ever #1 ranking for the CCU football team, it marked the first ever #1 ranking for any team in the history of Chanticleer Athletics.

Immediately social media blew up. The tweet we sent out announcing the accomplishment received 147 retweets, earning the distinction as the most retweeted tweet in the history of our @CCUchanticleers account. Our other social media accounts posted big numbers as well. In no time our Facebook account generated 600 likes and 224 shares. The Instagram image created for the occasion garnered 286 likes, a new record. It was definitely a fun afternoon for #CCUSocialMedia.

This tweet has already garnered 147 retweets.

Even though the response on social media was exuberant and powerful, the top spot ranking wasn’t a surprise. With back-to-back-to-back FCS champion North Dakota State suffering a rare defeat on Saturday, it paved the way for Coastal to grab the premiere spot. You might reason that NDSU deserved the respect of remaining #1 after 33 straight wins and three national championships but here is the thing: Coastal has cruised to a 10-0 record in impressive fashion this season. The team has obliterated opponents while doing most of its damage on the road. Playing only five home games this year, the Chants have already posted an undefeated 7-0 road record. The final two games on the schedule will take place in the friendly confines of Brooks Stadium.

Here is the new FCS Coaches Poll.

Here is where the story turns a little personal. Coastal Carolina is the second school I have worked at where the football team has earned the #1 FCS ranking. When I worked at the University of Montana the Grizzlies owned the prestigious top spot for varying lengths of time during two different seasons that I worked there. I do wonder how many people can say that they have worked at two schools that reached the number one spot in the FCS during this young decade (2010-2019). While I feel more connected to the accomplishments of the football team at Montana simply because I worked in the athletic department, it is still a source of pride that my current university is now the top gridiron team in the FCS.

Two schools. Two mascots. Two #1 FCS rankings.

Big congrats to the student-athletes, the coaches, and the Chanticleer Athletics staff on this big accomplishment. The next two weeks the Chant football team will be playing for an undefeated season, the Big South crown, and a top playoff seed. I will get to watch it all play out from the sidelines. CINO! Don’t Blink.

Changing My View on Kids Movies

Posted on November 9, 2014 by brent

Early Sundays are a great time to go to the movies. Here in Myrtle Beach, one of the really nice theaters next to where I live offers matinee showings for only $5. To enjoy a show at a really cheap price while at the same time winding down the weekend in a relaxing and fun way is ideal for me. The past two Sundays I have taken advantage of this option.

When you are only paying $5 to see a movie, you can kind of put your selectivity to the side. If I am spending $10.50 for a movie on a Friday evening, I want to see a heralded blockbuster hit on its premiere night. However, if you are paying half that amount on a lazy Sunday I am more inclined to take chances. This was definitely the case today.

Sitting at breakfast this morning, Sidney and I chose to see “Big Hero 6” over “Interstellar.” We chose the animated kids flick over the popular sci-fi movie mostly in part because we could bring Sidney’s nephew and niece. With their parents gone for the week, we could release some of the burden off of Sidney’s mom and dad who have the babysitting duties. Even though I am not a big cartoonish children movie fan, this seemed like the right thing to do. We brought the kids out to the Grand 14 Cinema in Market Common for the 11:30 a.m. showing.

I saw “Big Hero 6” today. You can’t beat that ticket price.

After watching “Big Hero 6” today, my opinion of kids movies is that some of them (well at least “Big Hero 6”) are more complex and more entertaining than your typical R-rated thriller/action movie. I was more intrigued and interested in today’s show than I was with “Gone Girl,” which we watched on Friday night. I wouldn’t even call “Gone Girl” a bad movie, either. Today’s movie was just so fresh, clever, and humorous…even if it was done by Disney and rated PG.

For those of you who don’t know, “Big Hero 6” is about a boy who invents a sophisticated robot type chip that allows someone’s mind to create magnificent structures, anything from high-tech buildings to transportation systems. Because his creation is so incredible, a villain sets fire to the institute where the boy (named Hiro) introduced his invention. While the fire raged on, Hiro’s brother went inside the building to save his professor. An explosion occurred and the brother died. The rest of the movie follows the quest of Hiro to avenge the death of his brother. With several plot turns, the villain isn’t who Hiro originally thought.

The plot of “Big Hero 6” is more developed and provides more surprises than most grown up movies. The animation is beautiful and some of the particular scenes are especially aesthetically-pleasing. It is funny throughout and the ending is great. A faint applause circulated throughout the child-filled theater when the credits started to roll. The adorable little people we were with, Harrison and Russell, enjoyed the show too. Although Russell (Sidney’s niece) said her favorite part was when Hiro’s brother died, I am sure she liked the other not so morbid moments as well.

The gang from “Big Hero 6”.

About 95% of the time, I would immediately write off watching an animated kids movie. However, I need to start re-thinking these urges. Films these days, especially ones made by movie giants such as Disney, are marketed towards children but are made to appeal to everyone. What makes a book, movie, TV show, etc. is a good story that is told well. While you can maybe spice it up a little by adding violence, sex, colorful language, and superstar actors if it lacks an engaging plot it will fall flat. This explains why a movie such as “Big Hero 6” triumphed while a film such as “The Expendables 3” bombed.

Don’t be afraid to watch an animated movie. Take some young people out for a fun treat and be amazed in the same way that I was. Trust me, these days you won’t be watching “Sesame Street” up on the big screen. Don’t Blink.

The Fritos Chili Pizza By Papa John’s

Posted on November 8, 2014 by brent

When I saw the founder of Papa John’s and Peyton Manning on my television screen advertising the chain’s new Fritos Chili Pizza I laughed at the absolute absurdity of such a creation. However, even though I thought the pizza idea was ridiculous I still really wanted to try it. Last night I satisfied my desire.

For only $12 I picked up the Fritos Chili Pizza at my local Myrtle Beach Papa John’s. I then brought it over to Sidney’s house and placed it on her dining room table. As opposed to opening up the box when I got to my car, I had let the anticipation build for the whole 20 minute car ride to her place. Eagerly I opened up the top of the box to reveal a pizza covered in Fritos.

Here is what I saw when I opened the box…the Papa John’s Fritos Chili Pizza.

Besides the namesake ingredient it also had tomatoes, onions, and meat on it. The sauce was a chili sauce, giving legitimacy to the other namesake ingredient. With the signature Papa John’s crust plus the garlic dip and pepper added in the box, I was ready to dig in. I reached for a slice and pulled it apart from the pizza itself, causing Fritos to fall off the slice I was about to eat. I then brought up the slice to my mouth with even more chips falling off and took a bite.

Me holding the Fritos Chili Pizza.

I can describe the taste of the Fritos Chili Pizza in one word: mild. While you will taste the chili flavor, the pizza definitely lacks any bold flavors or kick. I think I was expecting some zest, a shot of spice maybe. I thought the chili might have a distinctive flavor or the Fritos might bring something out that I have never really tasted before on a pizza. Not so. The pie definitely carried with it a very ho-hum taste. Not that this is a terrible thing. Many people don’t like wild flavors assaulting their taste buds. I mean I still thought it tasted good, it just lacked the flavor I thought it would have.

Another view of the Fritos Chili Pizza.

The Fritos definitely bring a unique element. The chips are fresh and the crunch is nice. However, they do fall off very easily before reaching your mouth. And, like I said in the above paragraph, the Fritos do really nothing to enhance the flavor. They are there simply to add a pleasant crunch. You have to also understand that this will not be a pizza you will want to have the next day. Can you imagine putting a pizza with Fritos on it in the refrigerator over night and then having it the next day? Well, I can, because I had a slice of it this morning. The Fritos were soggy and the texture that made the pizza decent the night before was gone.

Although not the most flavorful pizza, I still enjoyed it.

How would I improve this pizza? Here is my idea: I would create a Sriracha pizza sauce for the base. I would then put on the cheese, onions, and tomatoes. I would next add a layer of chili and I am talking an actual layer of hot meat chili. Then I would top it with the Fritos. This would give the pizza some bite, flavor, and personality.

To reiterate my main point, don’t get this pizza because you want to taste something crazy. You will be disappointed. Get it if you want an interesting crunch and are not a big fan of traditional pizza sauce. I can’t wait until the Cheetos pizza comes out. Don’t Blink.

Wanted: Graphic Designer to Create My Website Banner

Posted on November 7, 2014 by brent

For how obsessively I keep up my blog and all the hours I devote to producing new posts, I do admit that I have slacked in one very obvious manner: My website banner is embarrassingly out of date.

After over six months here in Myrtle Beach, my banner image still reflects my job and life I had while working at the University of Montana. The photoshopped image of me inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium has overstayed its welcome by about 200 days. For someone who preaches the importance of a solid and consistent personal brand, the fact that I have neglected to switch out the image that greets my readers when visiting www.brentreser.com is hypocritical.

It is time for this outdated banner to go.

Here is the truth though: While my design skills are passable, there are so many people out there who surpass my average capabilities. Instead of slapping together something that looks similar to what I have right now quality-wise, I much rather go with something that looks professional and inviting. To put it simply, I want one of my much more talented readers to design my new banner for me.

I am not looking for charity work. I will gladly pay whoever wants to take this project on. I want an image that captures where I am living and who I am. I also want it to look really cool. For a blog that receives thousands of views a month, I really need to take a step up from what I have right now.

To any of my readers out there, would you like to take this on? In addition to the website collateral that will be created I will need a version to fit my Facebook banner as well. Please text, call, tweet, Facebook, or e-mail me. If you can’t contact me one of those ways, please feel free to leave a comment underneath this post. Have a great weekend everyone. Don’t Blink.

November Thursday Rundown

Posted on November 6, 2014 by brent

Good evening to all my readers! I hope your week is off to a great start. Tonight I will provide you with my first Thursday Rundown of November. So sit back and do a little reading to help pass the time between now and three weeks later when it will be Thanksgiving.

Six-Month Anniversary: This past Saturday (November 1) marked my six-month anniversary as an employee of Coastal Carolina University. The time has definitely flown by. I am so thankful and happy with my decision to come here. Exactly one year ago today was the start of a five night gauntlet of events that I worked while at Grizzly Athletics. With basketball, football, and volleyball all overlapping each other I spent that Wednesday through Saturday on campus from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. I capped the insane week off by working a Sunday afternoon basketball game. I loved what I did for the Griz but it has been so nice working regular hours over the past half year.

Meeting with my Mentee: About a month ago I explained how I am part of a mentoring program at work called CINO Legacy. Simply put, I am assigned a student and I get to mentor her. Today Lauren and I met at our campus Einstein Bagels location and had a cover letter/resume workshop. While I am not an expert in these areas by any means, I shared with her some things that have worked for me professionally. I am honored to be part of this program and have the opportunity to mentor such a cool person as Lauren.

Lauren and I going over cover letters and resumes today.

Election 2014: Call me an apathetic citizen, but I didn’t vote in this election nor did I pay too much attention to the issues at hand. Sure I became a little familiar with the key races in South Carolina, Montana, and Washington but I didn’t take any action by performing my civic duty. Probably the thing that stood out to me most about Election 2014 was that it has already been two years since Election 2012. It seems like yesterday that President Obama and Mitt Romney were battling it out for the White House. Just like the past two years have quickly gone by, I am sure the next two will as well. Soon enough we will have a marquee 2016 Presidential Election.

Social Media Gold Star: Delta has close to two million fans on its Facebook page. The fact that the company responded to my Facebook Message in less than eight hours impressed me. I sent them an inquiry today about what my baggage status will be when I fly out west in less than three weeks. My trip back to Spokane is a long, exhausting one. Not only will I be on three different planes, I will also be utilizing two different airlines. Not knowing exactly if competing airlines would pass along checked baggage to each other to reach the customer’s final destination, I asked Delta myself. Not only did the company respond to me in a timely manner, they also gave me the answer I wanted to hear.

My correspondence with Delta over Facebook.

Two Months Old: Yesterday my niece went in and got her two-month photos taken. Tomorrow she will turn nine weeks. Mom said she had a nice Halloween and enjoyed dressing up a little. I now only have 19 days to go until I finally get to meet her.

Here are some recent photos of Mikayla at two months.

———————-

Time for me to sign off and watch some football. I am dialed in for the Clemson-Wake Forest game tonight. As I have seen the Tigers play two games in-person this season, I am cheering them on the rest of the way. To all my dedicated readers, have a great weekend! Don’t Blink.

News That Makes You Sad

Posted on November 5, 2014 by brent

Every morning I read the newspaper. Today was no different as I started reading my edition of the Sun News. I got through all the election coverage and opened up to page four of the front page section. It was there that I started to read the “Today’s Globe” portion, a hodgepodge of brief news stories from around the world. Usually bad news is prevalent but today it just seemed to hit me in a certain way.

I don’t know why it got to me so much, but after reading back-to-back-to-back stories on violence and death I felt pretty down. The selections were diverse in the type of horror they depicted but they all managed to hit me inside. Only a few minutes after I finished reading and I reflected on my thoughts, a friend from across the country tweeted about her sadness over the day’s news. It was obvious that we had read the same widely circulated “Today’s Globe” report.

It was apparent that we had both read the same sad report.

Not to dwell on the crummy news, but here is a quick summary of the three very sad stories that were layered right on top of each other.

These sad news stories were piled right on top of each other.

Police: Women threw son From bridge – A mom took her 6-year old son and threw him off a bridge to his death in Oregon. A parent killing their kid by throwing him off a bridge? What an awful way to go. I have memories from when I was six so that poor boy definitely knew what was going on and must have been scared out of his wits. How could any person, let alone a parent, do such a heinous act? What must have gone through her head while she watched her son plummet to his death? It made me sick.

Man charged in deaths of trick-or-treaters – A guy struck and killed three teenage girls who were trick-or-treating with his SUV and then drove off. I feel so sad for the three girls and their families. They were doing something fun and innocent, totally unaware that they would lose their lives that night. I mean come on, all they were doing was trick-or-treating. What a cruel twist of fate. Shame on the driver for taking off. How do you even have the instinct to do something like that? I know it is easy for me to say just sitting here on my couch, but if I did something like that I would get out of my SUV and stand in the street to get bulldozed over by a vehicle as well.

Christian couple burned to death by mob – Caution…this is gruesome. Some radical Muslims in Pakistan decided to falsely accuse a Christian couple of burning a Quran. As “punishment,” the wackos tortured the couple and burned them to death. What a barbaric, evil act. No one deserves to be falsely accused, no one deserves to be persecuted for their religious beliefs, and no one deserves to die that way. Of course images of this atrocity just flood my brain. How could anyone do AND watch such a thing. I almost spit out my breakfast.

Reading these grim tales reminded me again of how lucky I am. I might think not having a phone for a few days is tough but then I get a dose of perspective by reading the crummy luck of these victims. I get to sit in my comfortable apartment tonight and blog and tweet while others are thrown from bridges or burned alive. Thanks to my daily newspaper for giving me a wake up call every now and then. Don’t Blink.

Help! My Livelihood (phone) is Useless

Posted on November 4, 2014 by brent

The past four evenings were a little tough for me. On Halloween night, right as I left work my iPhone 5S inexplicitly stopped working. In the top left hand corner of my phone the usually trusty AT&T logo was swapped out with the word “searching.” It was impossible to make a call. Sending any type of text was out of the question. If I wasn’t in a wifi supported area, I couldn’t do a darn thing on my phone. What was going on?

On my way home from work I did all the little tricks I could think of to get my phone functioning. When I arrived to my apartment and I still had a malfunctioning phone I busted out my laptop and started looking at Apple pages and internet forums for possible answers to resurrecting my device. Nothing worked. Of all nights for my phone to take a nosedive, did it really have to be Halloween? So much for receiving photos of my niece dressed in her costume, tough luck on getting trick-or-treater updates from my mom (I now know they had 259 total children come to their door), and forget about sending out any photos of Sidney and I in our costumes. But the bitterest pill to swallow was not sending out my holiday message. A streak was broken and that hurt.

The next few days sent me on a wild goose chase to fix my phone. No need to list all the places I stopped at and the numerous people I spoke with because the list is long. While everyone tried their absolute best, no one had an answer except that I had a faulty phone. In perhaps the lowest moment, an attempt last night to completely wipe out and restore my device completely backfired when we went to activate my phone it just wouldn’t do it. I couldn’t get past the activation screen, thus making my phone 100% useless in every way, shape, and form.

This morning I was given a loaner phone until Apple sends me a brand new device. After 84 hours of not being able to connect on a social, voice, and text level, it was so nice to be up and running.

The story ends happily! i now have a phone.

I know many of you might consider me a materialistic phone-dependent jerk, but take into consideration what I do. As a guy who works in social media, my iPhone is my livelihood. Think about a chef for a second. If you took away his oven, he could still manage to get the job done and serve food using alternative means but it would severely cripple him. The same goes for me with my iPhone. It depleted a lot of the tools I have at my disposal but because of some creativity and my great intern we made it through.

Of course there is the personal aspect of it as well. Not having the option to communicate with others sucks. The thought of getting in an accident or experiencing an emergency while phoneless also plays with your brain a bit. It was because of this reason combined with not having phone navigation that I made the easy decision not to venture anywhere unnecessary over the last several days.

However, I can now put my professional concerns and personal fears behind me. I presently have a functioning phone and soon I will have a brand new device. I want to thank Samantha Cherry from HTC for providing me with some great help and customer service over the past couple days. My dear friends, please never take your phones for granted, you never know when the power it gives you could be suddenly shut off. Don’t Blink.

My Ode to Sportscenter

Posted on November 3, 2014 by brent

CLICK TO WATCH MY LATEST “SOCIAL CIRCLE WITH BRENT RESER” SEGMENT

I have watched Sportscenter my whole life. It is by far my favorite television show, a program that I have watched thousands of times. I have always looked up to the lucky men and women who have had the privilege of anchoring the world’s most popular sports program. Recently I gave a little nod to the show I love and the people who sit behind the desk.

I now have the great opportunity to write my own scripts for my social media segment on our University news program, “Coastal Now.” For the first two shows, legendary Myrtle Beach anchor and current CCU Director of News and Public Affairs Martha Hunn helped me compose my scripts. However, after I showed a tiny bit of promise in drafting those early scripts, Martha has given me the green light to write them entirely by myself. With this new freedom, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the third installment of the Social Circle with Brent Reser.

My third segment came out today for “Coastal Now.”

The best part of Sportscenter is the Top Ten Plays. Not only are the athletic feats you see incredible, but the way the ESPN anchors deliver it provides so much entertainment and enthusiasm. When you watch some of those guys go through the countdown you can just tell they are having a lot of fun. I wanted to try to create some of that fun for myself by writing my own top ten countdown for my segment.

I wanted to do a countdown revolving around our Instagram account.

Last Monday I went to our studio and shot shows three and four. For show three of my segment, I counted down the top ten @CCUchanticleers Instagram images. The countdown was formed using the top performing Instagram posts based on the total amount of likes the images received. With my script inserted into the teleprompter I let loose, doing my best Neil Everett imitation. Well, actually I didn’t try to do Neil Everett at all but while I was running down the top images I did feel like a Sportscenter anchor delivering the top plays. Perhaps the suits in Bristol would see me and offer a contract.

Chauncey holding Maddox was #3 on our countdown.

Of course I am totally kidding about ESPN liking anything done by an awkward social media coordinator. I saw my segment for the first time today and it became plainly obvious that I failed to capture even a quarter of the energy that Sportscenter anchors utilize during the show’s trademark two minutes. I made no sound effects, used no catch phrases, and most damning, I forgot to bring the passion.

So while I didn’t grade out too well in this particular installment of the Social Circle with Brent Reser I am going to learn a great deal from it. Next filming session I am going to bring it. I am going to take Martha’s advice and really “love the camera” while really packing the energy. Although not too pleased with how I delivered the content, I do think the script flowed well so at least I know I can write okay for news.

Even if I think I sounded like an idiot at least I had fun doing it. I can cross off “presenting a top ten list” from my bucket list. Stay tuned to see what I did with my fourth segment. Don’t Blink.

Halloween Weekend

Posted on November 2, 2014 by brent

It was Halloween Weekend but by all accounts it was pretty chill for me. You see, when you don’t have a working phone it makes you pump the brakes a little bit. On Friday afternoon my phone stopped sending/receiving text messages and my capability to make/receive calls was shut down. On the top left hand corner of my device it just says “searching.” Visits to the store of my service provider and an Apple specializing store proved fruitless. Not wanting to put myself in a situation where I would need to make a call/text if I got in an accident or became stranded, I laid low.

Even though I wasn’t as active as usual for a typical “Brent Weekend” I did have some fun. On Friday night I dressed up as an evil clown and Sidney dressed up as a witch. After we ate pizza at Sidney’s place we went to an area in Myrtle Beach called Broadway at the Beach. This popular Grand Strand attraction consists of a big circle of establishments that runs around a manmade body of water. Half of the circle is totally devoted to theme bars and clubs. For Halloween, this area is the place to be. We had a good time celebrating the holiday and seeing the outrageous costumes that others were wearing.

Before we hit Broadway at the Beach we posed for a photo. I was an evil clown and Sidney was a witch.

Saturday was spent just watching football. I walked down to my local neighborhood sports bar and watched some great FCS football. First I watched the Montana Grizzlies crush Sacramento State, 31-13. It was the first time I watched a game inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium from a television after working so many of them from up in the press box. I then watched Coastal Carolina improve to 9-0 with an easy 38-14 victory over Gardner-Webb. In my opinion, Coastal just needs one more win to clinch a bye in the FCS playoffs.

Today I went to 7:30 a.m. mass at St. Andrew. Sidney and I then went out to breakfast. In Myrtle Beach they have pancake houses that line the streets, much in the same way that espresso stands do back home. Because of my love of pancakes, I had wanted to hit one up for a long time. We chose a restaurant called Plantation Pancake House. I ordered chocolate chip pancakes and they were great! It also came with eggs and sausage and I had a hot chocolate to wash it down. Every now and then I feel it is important to treat yourself to a nice breakfast.

Had a very nice breakfast today at Plantation Pancake House. You bet I got whipped cream added onto my pancakes.

A couple hours later we went to a Sunday matinee movie. For just $5 each, we got tickets to watch Jake Gyllenhaal’s new movie, “Nightcrawler.” While some might find it a little creepy/dark, it was a movie right down my alley. Gyllenhaal plays the role of an awkward unemployed guy who turns to a rather slimy profession. He invests in a video camera and a police scanner and he starts going to crime/accident scenes where he shoots footage and then sells it to a local news station. The film illustrated what local news stations will do to break news first and the shady type of work that people engage in to fuel the ratings quest of news organizations.

This morning I ate at Plantation Pancake House.

My movie ticket for “Nightcrawler.” Can’t beat the price!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween. For the time being, if you need to get a hold of me, please reach out via social media. Have a wonderful week! Don’t Blink.

Don't Blink

By Brent Reser

Monthly Archives: November 2014